Anton Proposes 7 Percent Salary Cut for L.A. Employees

To combat an estimated $341-million budget shortfall, William R.
Anton, superintendent of schools in Los Angeles, last week released a
lengthy list of suggested savings that includes a one-year, 7 percent
salary reduction for all employees.

Mr. Anton also announced a plan to restructure the district's
central office by eliminating 155 positions and shifting the
administration of some programs to management teams that will work with
clusters of schools.

The reorganization, which will take effect July 1, was proposed
primarily to improve accountability and communication in the district,
according to the superintendent. Critics have long maintained that the
Los Angeles central office is too top-heavy and autocratic.

The administrative reshuffling also is expected to save the district
$10 million next school year.

At the same time, Mr. Anton said he would voluntarily take a 10
percent pay cut from the $161,390 he earned this year to "share the
pain" that the budget reductions will in4flict on the district.

Under the terms of his contract, Mr. Anton, who has been
superintendent in Los Angeles for 10 months, has full authority over
personnel matters in the school district. The reorganization plan,
therefore, did not require the formal approval of the school board.

Mr. Anton's salary gesture, which was echoed by identical pledges by
the district's second-highest-ranking administrator and by its top
lawyer, was widely regarded as sending a message for upcoming
negotiations with the district's unions, including United Teachers of
Los Angeles. The teachers' contract expires July 1.

Helen Bernstein, president of u.t.l.a., said she had "no problem"
with Mr. Anton's self-imposed salary reduction but that teachers would
not follow suit.

"When I make $160,000," she said, "I'll be happy to give back 10
percent."

'Shopping List' Criticized

The union was highly critical of what it called the superintendent's
"shopping list" of suggested budget cuts for the school board to
consider.

Although the district, which has a current budget of about $3.9
billion, is facing a $341-million deficit, Mr. Anton recommended cuts
that total nearly $630 million.

The superintendent said the wide range of choices, sorted by
priority, was offered to give school-boardmembers flexibility as they
struggle to close the budget gap by early September.

As the first cuts to be considered, Mr. Anton recommended reducing
the salaries of district employees by 7 percent for one year, freezing
all "step advancements" on the salary schedule for teachers for
1991-92, cutting four days of vacation for the district's executive
staff, and furel15lloughing all employees for either three or five
days.

Ms. Bernstein called the salary proposals "givebacks," adding: "As
far as I'm concerned, u.t.l.a. will never accept any proposal that has
to do with a giveback. We went on strike to get what we got, and we're
not about to give it back."

She estimated that the salary reduction, five-day furlough, and
salary-schedule freeze would amount to pay cuts of between 19 percent
and 24 percent for teachers.

Other suggested budget cuts that would take away elementary
teachers' preparation time, force high-school teachers to teach an
additional period each day, and increase class size would add between
10 percent and 20 percent to teachers' workloads, she added.

"I guarantee that teachers in Los Angeles will not labor under those
conditions," Ms. Bernstein said.

The union president complained that the superintendent did not have
to propose such a sweeping list of budget cuts and said suggestions
made by the teachers' union were not incorporated into his plans.

"We're incredibly demoralized4right on the cusp of trying to make
restructuring and reform changes," Ms. Bernstein said. "That's the part
that's a heartbreaker."

The unprecedented financial problems, which forced the school board
to cut $220 million from this school year's budget and to make an
additional $88 million cutback at mid-year, have forced the district to
notify 2,173 teachers, psychologists, nurses, librarians, and
counselors that they might lose their jobs.

An additional 2,000 employees have been notified that they might be
''bumped" from their jobs by more senior employees if the layoffs take
place.

The restructuring plan calls for elementary schools to be separated
from junior-high schools and organized into seven districts. A new
administrative unit will be created to oversee middle- and junior-high
schools. Six-member management teams will work with clusters of 15 to
24 schools.

The next phase of restructuring is scheduled to take place in
1992-93 and will focus on school-level reorganization and would
complement the school-based management process under way in the
district. In that phase, money will be allocated directly to each
school to be spent as the school sees fit.

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